CB5 sent that message loud and clear at a recent meeting by suggesting dog run advocates take their concerns to the next closest community board.

The board’s suggestion was backed by a decision to send neighboring CB4 a letter requesting it consider placing a dog run inside its own district - one far removed from Juniper Valley Park, where dog lovers originally wanted a park for their canine companions.

Kathy Masi, the chairperson of CB5’s Dog Run Subcommittee, floated the new plan at a March 10th meeting, where she said a well-attended December visit to Juniper Valley Park confirmed that opponents and supporters of a dog run would never settle on one of three possible sites in the park.

“Basically we had opposition all over the place,” said Masi.

After she spoke, a straw poll showed only 23 or so members of CB5 are in favor of a dog run, despite monthly pleas from a dog owners association. Manny Caruana, one board member opposed to the plan, put it this way: “I can’t believe that we’re thinking about putting dogs where we put people.”

Masi said the plan could go nowhere until support reaches critical mass. “We need a commitment from the community, the dog run advocates, and the community board before we commit to this,” Masi said.

But that appears far from likely, so instead CB5 is passing the issue to CB4. The move effectively ends the long-running dog run debate.